Intel 65nm NOR StrataFlash
Macronix recently announced that phase change memory (PCM) developed jointly with IBM and Qimonda had proven its viability below 20nm. The same DigiTimes article pointed out that this PCM technology proved it could overcome the ?physical barriers? currently inhibiting production of 65nm NOR flash.
These comments are puzzling considering SI has already completed a comprehensive analysis of Intel 65nm production NOR flash. Both detailed structural analysis and characterization of the individual FET dc performance suggest that NOR flash is performing very well at 65nm. Furthermore, Intel?s 65nm floating gate NOR flash was primarily a shrink of?Intel’s 90nm ETOX IX process that required little in the way of new materials or processes.
Although my colleagues and I are quite keen on PCM, it?s too early to put floating gate flash to bed. After all, we have also exhaustively studied a production 50nm NAND technology from the Intel-Micron partnership.
Above: Intel NOR Flash with floating gate space dimension of 65nm
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